The End – S/T 7″

This one came in late in my life. I had never heard about The End until a year ago or something like that. It says 1980 on the labels but sources have confirmed it was released in Oct. 1979. With that said the b-side Krossa! has to be one of the earliest attempt at HC along with the likes of Middle Class, Bad Brains, Germs, Massmedia and ____(fill in your own band).

The first copies came with a sleeve: white with fingerprints and The End hand stamped on the front. I haven’t seen one. Recorded on a 2 track in a school in Mora/Sweden. What tickles me is the end of Krossa! listen to the knocking. Who’s knocking? My guess is Gosta Bohman from Moderaterna.

Back in 2003, the all-Swedish KBD #50 (or was it 51?) had “Snutjavlar” on it and I’ve dug it since then. Last year I finally heard “Krossa” and it’s great too. But, for me, in terms of early “proto-hardcore” nothing compares to the Middle Class 1st EP or 1st Bad Brains 7″ (but just the song “Pay To Cum”, not the crummy reggae B-side that’s on it). [I’ve recently heard some proto-hardcore kinda-sorta stuff from the 60’s(!) that’s cool too- fast stuff like Outcasts “1523 Blair”, Zakary Thaks “Bad Girl” and Sound of Imker’s “Train of Doomsday” which reminds me a bit of Discharge]. Anyway, Stuart’s MRR article from a few years ago was great too- he clued me in to the charming Homo Electrica 7″. Stuart’s new site, Shit Fi.com, has a write up of the Sune Studs och Gronlandsrockarna 1st EP that now has me interested in that record- please post if you have it, thanks!

I just come of reading the the middle class posts where the “first” HC was discussed. I guess this would be the first HC from Sweden. The label says it from 1980 but I beleive it was recorded in 1979. On this proto (hate the word) It would be great to know the band influences. Being punk just an hours from the band home town – I can say they where not very influential o the Scani HC scen like Huvudtvätt or finish Terveet Kädedeet or Rattus. I wonder if they ever heard about “the end”. Thnx for reading the post – the end.

Sad that Stuart Schrader article is gone it was fun reading and he got the truth of what he wrote. I was in the carousel, the band was my best friends and still hanging out with the band’s leader. Patrik, the drummer who is not with us anymore (R, I, P) owned an LP and it was The Damneds first. Hope someone copied Stuart’s article and can post it here.